New Orleans Saints’ Wide Receivers Need to Get Back on Track

By Alejandro Aviles

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

There is no question that the New Orleans Saints have one of the best passing games in the NFL, and that rings true once again this season. Drew Brees has thrown for 3,794 yards, third most in the league, and 29 touchdowns, second most in the league. Based on Brees’ numbers, one would think that the Saints’ wide receivers have been playing great this season, but a closer look reveals that is not entirely true.

Sure, Marques Colston and Kenny Stills are second and fourth in receiving yards on the Saints, with 596 yards and 473 yards, respectively. Jimmy Graham leads all Saints with 68 receptions and 988 yards, and then Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles have made 60 and 55 receptions, respectively. The point is that the Saints’ wide receivers have not been getting the ball as often as they should and perhaps it is a matter of them needing to be more aggressive.

Colston is a big receiver and he should be dominating smaller cornerbacks, but he just not has been able to and he is on pace to have his worst statistical season ever. Furthermore, Lance Moore and Robert Meachem have looked like shells of themselves this season. I know some of their receivers have been battling injuries this season, but the Saints’ receiving corps is usually very dominant, and so far the wide receivers have just been average.

The good news is that the Saints are 9-3, but the bad news is that if the Saints receivers can’t be more aggressive, this team will not go very far into the postseason. I would expect the Saints’ receivers to pick up the pace down the home stretch of the season, and hopefully by the postseason they will be dominant again.